Blue Desert (1990)

Two men rattle a comic-book artist who has moved to a desert town after her trauma in New York.

Director:

Bradley Battersby

Writers:

Arthur Collis, Bradley Battersby

Stars:

D.B. Sweeney, Courteney Cox, Craig Sheffer

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
D.B. Sweeney	...	Steve Smith
Courteney Cox	...	Lisa Roberts
Craig Sheffer	...	Randall Atkins
Philip Baker Hall	...	Joe
Sandy Ward	...	Walter
Peter Schrum	...	Burly Man (as Pete Schrum)
Anne Bellamy	...	Emily
Christopher Collins	...	Phone Man
Robert Miano	...	William Karp
Tom Finnegan	...	Ed O'Donnell
Connie Sawyer	...	Elderly Lady 1
Anita Keith	...	Elderly Lady 2
Ray Lykins	...	Mugger
Diane Adair	...	Nurse (as Diane Diefendorf)
David Ursin	...	Doctor

Storyline

After surviving rape, comic-book artist Lisa Roberts is moving from New York City to small town in Arizona. But there's danger in small towns too.

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Plot Keywords:

songbird | caged bird | ex convict | long haired man | sex in bed | 

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Taglines:

When the desert turns blue... danger begins.

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Genres:

Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Did You Know?

Trivia

Feature directorial debut for Bradley Battersby.

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Quotes

William Karp: Lisa, can you tell me something? Why do you think it is he chose you to attack?
Lisa Roberts: I have no idea.
William Karp: Now didn't you tell us you were raped 6 months ago?
Lisa Roberts: Yes. But I don't see what that has to do...
William Karp: Lisa, what does that say to you?
Lisa Roberts: What do you mean, what does that say to me?
William Karp: What does that say to you?
Lisa Roberts: [no response]
William Karp: I'll tell you what it says to me. It says there's a pattern here. A first-time victim becomes a second-time victim, and a second-time victim often becomes a third. We see it all the time. Now what ...
[...]

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Soundtracks

Good Lookin' Liar
Performed by Larry Dean
Written by Larry Dean, Jon Robert Sloan, and Robert Bordy
Courtesy of USA Music Group, Real Shooters Music and Left Hand Music

User Reviews

Occasionally chilling, not quite predictable

Lisa Roberts has been raped, so she leaves New York for her aunt and uncle's trailer in the desert community of Oneida. She lives there alone with her relatives' birds, but helpful neighbor Walter is next door with his wife Emily.

Lisa is the illustrator for Iron Medusa comic books. While she is working on her art in a restaurant, she meets Randall, who likes her work (later we learn his daughter, who died in an accident, was a big fan of Iron Medusa). They become friends. Randall rides a motorcycle and enjoys the great outdoors, but he hates living in a small town where everyone knows everyone else's business. Though he explains he is living on disability and taking short-term work, he says his goal is to move to San Francisco and renovate houses.

Randall wants to move his relationship with Lisa to the next level, but she is not ready because of her recent traumatic experience. What happens next brings Deputy Steve Smith into the picture. He is very nice and suspicious of Randall.

Something strange is going on in this town. It may involve Joe and another man Lisa sees outside the trailer.

There's not anything really special about this movie, though Lisa is confident and determined while never completely overcoming her nervousness, and she has plenty of reasons to be scared. Lisa's art (according to the credits, Matthew Nelson's) is really good and probably has real therapeutic value because she can pretend to dispose of the villains in her life. In reality, it is not that easy. (By the way, I'm not interested in comic books or their art.)

Courtney Cox, D. B. Sweeney and Craig Sheffer all give good performances. The circumstances provide us with the occasional chilling moment, and the obligatory creepy music shows up from time to time. Most importantly, a number of plot twists keep us constantly guessing. There is more violence than I would have liked, and obviously some sexual content--not necessarily of a violent nature.

I was disappointed by the ending. I'm sure nothing significant was edited out, but it seemed to me the writers dug themselves a hole and then found a white rabbit with a pocket watch.

This was a pretty good thriller.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

9 January 1991 (USA)

Also Known As:

Blue Desert

Filming Locations:

Inyokern, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

NEO Motion Pictures, Overseas FilmGroup

Technical Specs

Runtime:

97 min

Sound Mix:

Ultra Stereo

Color:

Color